The present invention relates in general to an interactive media display system with transactional capabilities. More particularly, the invention relates to a stand-alone, kiosk-type apparatus having the ability to simultaneously provide electronic display imagery, with or without sound, and enable electronic transactions, which may or may not pertain to the content of the electronic display imagery.
The electronic age has seen a multitude of advancements and innovations in the means of communications, including media or marketing communications. Whereas just a decade or so ago, one of the primary modes of advertisement was printed matter, whether in the form of hand held literature and brochures, newspapers, posters, billboards, and, subsequently, backlit panels; such modes of marketing and advertisement have been usurped by electronic displays: living billboards, if you will.
These electronic displays take the form of flat panel display systems and screens, most often LCD, LED and plasma displays. Plasma display screens, as well as other flat panel display screens, are complex electronic devices and quite fragile; necessitating intricate electronics, particularly as compared to printed media, specific protective measures in their placement and integration and, in particular, special care in the handling and placement of the same. In particular, great care has to be taken not to crack the screen because this would render the screen useless as a medium for a display. In addition, flat panel display screens are quite costly, rendering the value of the cost to protect them greater than the cost to replace them.
Other forms of electronic medium and apparatus that has seen a monumental increase in use and installations are the touch screen interactive systems. Most notably, these have found significant utility and application in the banking industry as ATMs and in the transportation industry as check-in kiosks in airports, train stations and other transportation centers. They have also found applicability in information kiosks, especially for providing directions in individual stores and in malls.
Despite the proliferation of both types of electronic mediums, the two have remained distinct for their particular markets and end-use applications. However, these technologies, in combination, have the potential to harness a huge, unforeseen need in the market for a stand alone system that serves as both a marketing and sales tool while concurrently providing transactional capabilities to complete the transaction contemplated or promoted by the marking and sales tool as well as transactions that may be totally unrelated to the message of the marketing and sales imagery presented.